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My Girl, Sophia June 9, 2012

This past Monday I had to put my cat Sophia to sleep. She was 16 1/2 years old and i had her for 16 of those years. I rescued her from a shelter when my ex-husband and I first separated. She was very unusual. Firstly, she was orange. The majority of orange cats are male. She also had 6 toes on each foot! Her paws looked like little catcher’s mitts as a kitten!

Sophia was never what anyone would call an affectionate cat! You could always find her looking down on the world from high perches….the top of the fridge, the top of armoires, and the top of my dining room hutch were her favorite spots.

Sophia showed her love in different ways. While she wasn’t fond of being touched, she was a a constant presence during my morning routines. When I woke, she raced me into the bathroom to get her favorite drink….bathroom tap water. She would sit on the toilet seat and watch me put on my makeup, she sat on the kitchen counter as my coffee brewed.

About 6 months ago, Sophia began to change. She didn’t slow down, she started becoming affectionate. She would want to be pet. She would climb into bed with me and lay on my chest. She would sleep curled up next to me or on my head. I was thrilled to finally have gotten close to her.

The few days before her passing, I knew that her time was coming. While she never liked my other cats, I would find them sleeping with her, guarding her. It was as if they knew it was only a matter of time as well. This past weekend I prayed for God to take her, to take making that decision out of my hands. He didn’t.

Monday morning, June 4th, I knew that it was time.

I will miss my Sophia. I miss her every morning. Getting ready is just not the same without her. I will miss her cuddling in bed each night. I know that I did the right thing. I also know that one day I will be with her again.